Suspect charged in killing at party

The brother of a man killed during a home invasion last week in Union County now faces a murder charge in a shooting early Monday morning.

Authorities say Preston Davis, 25, of 330 Pine Needle Road, Union, fatally shot 33-year-old Michael Wheeler of 800 Country Club Road, Apt. C, at a birthday party in Pacolet, later telling deputies that the Spartanburg resident was "taunting" him.

According to the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office, Davis, who turned himself in Monday afternoon, was wearing a T-shirt with his brother's name on it when he shot Wheeler multiple times at 275-B Crescent St., Pacolet.

Davis' younger brother, Kelvin Davis, 19, was fatally shot in his family's Union County home last week during an apparent home invasion - and two men who are still on the run now face charges in that killing.

Investigators with the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office aren't yet linking the two shootings.

"At this point, it doesn't appear to be any retaliation for his brother," Maj. Dan Johnson said. "It was more of a taunting incident."

Johnson said the relationship between Preston Davis and Wheeler remains under investigation. A handgun, believed to be the weapon used to kill Wheeler, was found with the assistance of the Union County Sheriff's Office, Johnson said.

Davis has been charged with murder, pointing and presenting a firearm and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. His criminal history dates back to 2003 and includes convictions for assault of a high and aggravated nature, criminal domestic violence and motor vehicle violations.

The brothers' grandmother, Lillie Davis, said she's relying on her faith to cope with the death of one grandson and the arrest of another.

"The only way I'm handling it is prayer right now," she said.

At a news conference Monday morning, Union County Sheriff Howard Wells said that while he couldn't connect the two shootings, he wanted to squash any false rumors that could lead to more violence. Wells said he was afraid of fingers being pointed at people who had nothing to do with Kelvin Davis' death.

Derrick Ruff, 27, of 146 Grant Acres Way, Prosperity, and Patrick Troy Rice, 25, of 617 Evans St., Whitmire, have been charged with murder in Kelvin Davis' death. Wells said he expects more arrests to be made in the case and more charges to be filed against Ruff and Rice, whose relationship to Kelvin Davis is still being investigated.

"We're going to do our best to get these people into custody before anything else happens between themselves," the sheriff said.

Ruff has an extensive criminal history dating back to 1997, with convictions for strong-arm robbery, burglary, petty larceny and grand larceny. Rice's criminal history begins in 1999 and includes convictions for shoplifting, burglary, forgery and parole revocation.

Ruff, who is 5-feet, 11-inches tall and about 175 pounds, was last seen in Thomasville, N.C., and Rice, who is 5-feet, 11-inches tall and 164 pounds, escaped arrest in Commerce, Ga. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Rice and Ruff is asked to call the Union County Sheriff's Office at 864-429-1612.